


Imagination is the Key to Trickery

by remanth



Category: Norse Religion & Lore
Genre: Prank War, Romance, imagine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-10 00:21:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17415395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remanth/pseuds/remanth
Summary: Imagine Loki kidnaps you because you're some kind of legendary weapon he needs to one up Odin.





	Imagination is the Key to Trickery

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the lovely theprismaticdreamer on tumblr who gave me the prompt

It was a warm spring day. Birds were chirping happily in their trees, the sun was shining, and a nice breeze kept it from being too hot. People were out and about, enjoying the warmth after a long winter. It felt like it had dragged on forever but now was finally over. It was the kind of day you’d spend outside, maybe walking in a forest preserve or having a picnic in the park. A park was actually where you were, sitting on a bench underneath a spreading oak tree that was covered in leaves of brand new green. But there was something that had been niggling at you, a sense of eyes staring at the back of your head. It didn't scare you; quite the opposite. But the feeling made it impossible to relax and fully enjoy the day.

Looking back over your shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time since you came to the park, you huffed out a sigh when all you saw was a couple kids and a dog playing with a frisbee. A little further away, sitting on a blanket with their heads tucked together in quiet conversation were what you assumed to be the kids’ parents. None of them, not even the dog, was paying you the slightest attention. Shaking your head, you turned back around to watch the ripples on the small pond in front of you. And then you jumped.

Standing just a few feet in front of you wall a tall, dark-haired man. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smirk on his lips as he studied you. He wore strange clothes, something that was a cross between robes and a long vest. It was in a deep green that was almost black and thick silver bracelets carved in what looked like twining snakes gleamed on both of his wrists. As you met his eyes, you felt an immediate pull to him. And, you were immediately convinced that this was the invisible watcher you’d been sensing all day.

“Yes, you will do, mortal,” the man said in a melodious voice. Laughter bubbled under the words. “You are exactly what I need.”

Before you could reply, or even do more than furrow your eyebrows in confusion, he stepped forward and wrapped one cool hand around your wrist. You tried to tug your wrist away, though without any real urgency. But his grip was like iron and as you opened your mouth to yell at him, your world dissolved. First, white filled your eyes, a bright white light that blocked out anything else. Then the white faded to a cacophony of colors. Every shade that you’d ever seen or heard of were here along with quite a few that you’d never seen before. Wonder and fear filled you in equal amounts even as your stomach roiled in nausea. Then, after about a count of ten seconds, the colors faded away and your sight returned.

“Welcome to my home, mortal,” the man said, throwing out his free arm and gesturing at a fantastic city in the distance. “Welcome to Asgard.”

After a deep breath that did nothing to calm the nausea, you followed his pointing arm. The city was beautiful, a fantastic gathering of elaborately decorated buildings with firelight glinting in windows and in the streets. In the middle of the city was a towering building that looked like it was covered in sheets of gold. The sheets were carved in patterns that you couldn’t quite make out from here but looked vaguely familiar. Even as you tried to figure it out, your stomach finally revolted and you vomited. 

“Oh dear, that sometimes happens with mortals,” the man said. His voice started fading out as you wavered on your feet and blackness closed in on your eyes. The last thing you heard him say before the blackness claimed you was, “And that too. Travel in this fashion can be fatiguing.”

~*~*~*~

Some time later, sense slowly returned to you. There was something soft underneath you and a light weight on top of you. It was as soft as what was under you and your fingers explored the texture of it. Opening your eyes carefully, you saw that it was a blanket woven in strips of color that alternated blue and a deep copper. A fireplace across from the bed you were lying on was the only source of light in the room as there were no windows. In a chair next to the fireplace, set diagonally so that you could see its occupant, sat the man who’d brought you here. He was still wearing the same clothes from earlier so you hoped you hadn’t been unconscious for too long. Firelight glinted on his bracelets and in the little red gems in the eyes of the snakes. His head was propped on one hand and his eyes were closed. For a moment, the thought that he was the most beautiful man crossed your mind. The thought fled when he opened his eyes and looked at you.

“Ah, you wake, little mortal,” he said, mischief glinting in his eyes along with the firelight. “Excellent. How do you feel?”

“Better. Thirsty,” you decided. You swallowed against the dryness in your throat, not easing it in the slightest. “Can I have some water, please?”

“So polite,” the man mused as he stood. “Since you ask so politely, I will give you water. Most mortals I’ve interacted with haven’t been so polite.”

He crossed the room in long, easy strides. The vest slash robes slithered around his legs with a soft rustling sound and you realized his clothes were made of leather. Near the door was a dark wooden table. On top sat a pair of metal goblets and a pitcher. You weren’t sure but the silvery metal looked a little like pewter. He poured into both goblets, your mouth getting even drier as you watched the water cascade. Then he picked up both goblets and moved to the bed with the same long, easy strides. Holding out one goblet, he raised an eyebrow at you until you took it. 

The metal was cold against your hand and the water inside looked delicious. But something told you not to drink it. At least not yet. Who knows what might be in it? After all, this man had kidnapped you, somehow. Maybe drugs. That might explain the weird lights and your illness afterwards. What if he’d put poison or something in the water? You glanced up from your goblet to meet his eyes. Whatever was on your face must have mirrored your thoughts because he just rolled his eyes and took a deep drink from his goblet.

“Water poured from the same vessel,” he said, a touch of impatience in his voice. “Should I wish you harm, I would have brought it on myself as well, just now. Drink. I mean _you_ no harm.”  
You stared at him for a long moment, eyes narrowed. He’d drunk from the same water that he’d poured for you without hesitation. Nothing was happening to him. Even as you studied him, he gave you a quick smirk and drank again. Besides, something inside you told you that he was telling the truth. He wasn’t going to hurt you. Something told you you could trust him. So, without taking your eyes off his, you raised the goblet to your lips and drank deeply. The water inside was cold and tasted delicious. Something like ice and mystery, as if this was primal water, the type of water the stuff back home was the pale shadow of. When he nodded at you, you drained the goblet and held it out to him.

“Can I have more, please?” you asked. “I’m so thirsty.”

“Of course,” he replied and handed you his goblet with one hand while taking yours with the other. “Feel free to finish mine while I refill your goblet.”

You stared down at the goblet in your hand, half full of that near-miraculous water. Something squirmed in your belly at the thought of drinking from the same goblet he had. Something pleasant and, somehow, pleasured. Turning the goblet in your hands almost unconsciously, you placed your lips over where his had been and drank deeply. Your concentration was so focused on the water and the feeling in your belly that you didn’t catch the sudden heat flaring in his eyes as he watched you.

Finishing off the second goblet, you looked up to find him in front of you again. He’d moved silently and you jumped again to see him in front of you. That now-familiar smirk played over his lips again but he said nothing. Merely handed the full goblet to you. You traded goblets and drank again without hesitation. This time, your thirst was eased and the last of the nausea had faded. But that left the squirming feeling in your belly, increasing every time you looked at him.

“Who are you?” you asked suddenly, fidgeting with the empty goblet. “Where am I?”

“I told you, this is Asgard. My home,” the man replied. He took the goblet from your hands and placed both back in their places on the table. Then he came back and sat on the edge of the bed. “As for who I am, my name is Loki.”

“Loki,” you breathed, eyes widening. “Like the Norse god, Loki? Like mythology and stuff? I thought that was all stories.”

“Clearly not,” Loki replied. His tone was one of amusement rather than annoyance. “We are the source of your world’s mythologies and stories. Asgard, the Bifrost which we traveled upon to come here, even Odin the Allfather. All based on us.”

“Wow,” you said, at a loss for anything else to say. A literal _god_ sat in front of you. He was surprisingly human, if something like that could be said about a god. And still, something about him drew you. “Okay, that’s... that’s... wow.”

He merely chuckled and waited patiently while you absorbed this new information. Had he done this often before to be able to wait for a mortal’s mind to work through it all? Had he kidnapped many mortals before? You pushed those questions aside. They weren’t important right now. What was important was...

“Okay, right, you’re a god and the Norse mythology is based on you guys,” you said and he nodded encouragingly. “So why did you take me here? What do you want me for?”

“I can think of a few things,” Loki murmured, his eyes sweeping over your face and down. Heat warmed your face and you were pretty sure you were red when he met your eyes again. “But as to why, I need you. Well, I need what you carry. I have a - shall we say war - ongoing with Odin. You are a weapon in that war.”

“That makes no sense,” you shook your head. “I’m not carrying anything but the clothes I’m wearing. What possible use could those be?”

“You don’t carry it _on_ you, you carry it _within_ you,” Loki disagreed, pointing at the center of your chest. “Deep inside you rests a great power. It is a power Odin desires though he has yet to find. I found you first and I plan on taunting him with it.”

You shook your head again, unable to believe what he was saying. That he believed it was clear but it couldn't be true. You were just a normal person. Maybe you knew something was going to happen sometimes before it happened. But, just as often, you were wrong about what was going to happen. Or you could swear you knew things about people without meeting them before. But that was no great power. That was intuition and reading people and lucky guesses. Still, your curiosity insisted you ask.

“What kind of power?”

“The power of creation, little mortal,” Loki said, emphasizing the word creation. “Though you don’t appear to know it, you carry within you the power to create world, galaxies, universes. You carry the power of a god within that mortal frame.”

“Well, I mean, sure, kinda,” you agreed slowly. When his eyes widened, you explained, “I mean, when I write, I create things. That’s what part of being a writer is. Creating characters and worlds and conflicts and resolutions. But it’s all imagination and work. Doesn’t seem like all that great a power a god would desire to me.”

Loki leaned forward until his face was bare inches from yours. His eyes bored into yours and all mischief was gone from them. Instead, there was a burning intensity there that scared you and fascinated you in equal amounts. You stared into his eyes in frozen silence, not even daring to breathe.

“Where do you think your ability to write comes from?” he whispered, the words sounding almost intimate. “Creation will happen, will you or won’t you. And this was the way it found.”

You suck a breath into burning lungs. You can’t look away from his eyes and you don’t want to. Instead, you think about what he said. It made sense, in a strange sort of way. It explained why you’d always been drawn to writing and other things that were making, creating. If that was this force, this power, inside you finding a way to express itself, that made perfect sense. He smiled at you when you nodded, a pleased smile rather than a smirk.

“You understand,” he said as he sat back. “Good. That is very good. Now, since I have no idea yet how to draw this power from you, I will need your cooperation. Will you help me?”

“You said it’s a war,” you said doubtfully. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“A war, yes, but not a war of battles and death,” Loki disagreed, shaking his head. “It is a war of, hmm. How shall I put this so you understand it? Ah, yes, It is a prank war.”

“Oh, well that’s fine,” you grinned. “Where do we start?”

“We start, little mortal, with a plan,” Loki said. The mischievous glint was back in his eyes when he reached out and rested a hand on your shoulder. “Let us speak.”

~*~*~*~

You hovered in a hallway in the towering building you’d seen in the center of the city. It was indeed covered in sheets of hammered gold and carved with sinuous geometric patterns and animals and faces. This building was the throne of Asgard and Odin’s home. This is where most of the prank war would take place. You and Loki had walked here under a veil of invisibility. It had made the halls appear blurry and faded, like they were further away than they should be. Yet twice, other gods or goddesses had walked past without the slightest inkling you and Loki were there. His hand stayed on your shoulder the entire time, squeezing in warning each time the two groups had appeared. You were finding you rather enjoyed having him touch you.

He’d stopped you in a hallway that had looked like every other hallway you’d passed through. Sumptuously decorated with golden vases and urns, exquisite tapestries on the walls, and a plush bronze carpet edged in gold running the length of the hallway. Pressing you back against the wall, Loki had put the palm of his hand on your forehead. His skin was cool though your skin felt flushed under his touch. He’d whispered a few words in a language you didn’t understand then told you to wait here until Odin appeared. Then he’d disappeared.

Whatever he’d whispered over you must have kept you invisible because a single person walked past you without acknowledging you. The hallways still looked blurry and faded though not as far away as when Loki had been with you. Maybe this was a different sort of invisibility. Just as you were wondering how long you’d have to wait, a man apepared at the end of the hallway. He looked just as you’d expect Odin to look from the myths: tall and muscled with a white beard and white hair. Two ravens stood on his shoulders, ravens you knew to be Hugin and Munin. You didn’t know which was which. He wore robes in a deep sapphire blue trimmed with gold and the eyepatch he wore over one eye was gold.

You took a deep breath, trusting in whatever magic Loki had cast on you to accomplish this part of the plan. It was fairly simple. At least, as you understood it. The magic part was out of your depth, at least the little Loki had explained. As Odin walked towards you, you squared your shoulders and watched him. Any second now. Any second.

You saw the moment the spell keeping you invisible broke. Odin’s single eye widened then narrowed as he looked at you. The raven on his left shoulder fluttered its wings while the raven on his right uttered a quork. You said nothing, merely meeting Odin’s eye and keeping a blankly pleasant expression on your face.

“You,” Odin said, moving closer. His voice was deep and resonant and a touch gravelly. “You have what I am looking for. Who are you? How did you come to be here?”

As instructed, you said nothing. You merely met Odin’s eye and kept your pleasant expression. You didn’t even shrug. Loki had wanted you to appear like a statue so a statue you would be. According to him, it would drive Odin even crazier than if you’d talked to him. 

Odin stepped closer, anger on his face as he didn’t get the answers to his questions. As he did, your heart fluttered in fear. This was a _god_ , called the Allfather, and here you were defying him by keeping silent. What would happen should the second part of Loki’s spell not work? Cold sweat oozed down your spine as you contemplated that for the next few seconds.

Then, as quickly as the invisibility has disappeared, it came again. The hallway turned blurry and the anger on Odin’s face transformed to confusion. As Loki had ordered, as soon as you were invisible again, you stepped silently back away from Odin. One step and another and a third until you hit a solid, slightly cool body behind you. A hand landed on your shoulder and the familiar weight of it told you Loki was behind you. Looking up and back, you saw a pleased grin on his face as he watched Odin.

The Allfather stared at where you had been for several long moments, the confusion on his face slowly changing to rage. Then, he turned on his heel and stalked back down the hallway. You could hear him muttering something but it was too quiet for you to make out what it was. As soon as the hallway was empty, Loki led you back to the room you’d woken up in. Whether it was his room or not, you hadn’t asked yet. Either way, he’d given it to you for your stay here. You and he had stayed up into the small hours of the morning last night hashing out your plans.

“That was perfect, little mortal,” Loki said after he closed the door to the room. “Excellent job.”

“Thank you,” you said, collapsing down on the bed and leaning down to put your head on your knees. Adrenaline and delayed reaction had caught up to you. Your heart was thudding in your chest and your legs were shaking.

“Are you ill?” Loki asked, moving to you and kneeling in front of you. “I must admit, I do not know much of mortal illnesses.”

“No, no, I’m not sick,” you said, waving a hand without moving from your position. “Just reacting to everything. Odin is intimidating.”

“Not to everyone,” Loki murmured.You looked up enough to see that familiar smirk on his face. “Will you be well?”

“Yeah, just give me a few minutes,” you replied. 

Loki stayed in front of you, giving you the minutes you asked for. He didn’t speak again, which you were oddly grateful for. You were rather enjoying his proximity though you still didn’t see the flash of heat in his eyes as he looked at you. When your heartbeat eased and your legs stopped shaking, you sat up. His face was close to yours again, close enough for you to catch your breath. And now, now you saw heat that was instantly shuttered.

“You look better now,” Loki said. “Are you recovered?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you nodded. “Though I am hungry. Is there a kitchen here or something where we can find food?”

“I want to keep proof of your existence here a secret a while longer so you’ll have to eat here,” Loki mused, tapping a finger on his lips, “But yes, there is a kitchen. Wait here, I will get something for both of us.”

Loki left the room, carefully closing the door behind him. You moved to the chair at the fireplace, stretching your hands out to the warmth. The fireplace seemed to burn without consuming the wood but put out as much heat as a normal fire would. The last day had been a wild ride. It was thrilling and terrifying. You were happy to have the experience and part of you hoped this prank war would go on for a while. You were enjoying your time here and your time with Loki.

Some time later, Loki came back bearing a tray loaded with food. He set it down on the table near the door and went out again. When he came back, he was carrying a chair with a small table set in the seat. It took only a few moments for Loki to set up the chair across from you with the table in between. Then, he grabbed the tray and set it on the table. He sat in his chair and gestured at the food.

“Please, help yourself,” he said, picking a slice of bread and buttering it.

“It looks delicious,” you said, picking up another slice of bread. It was thick and still warm from the oven. “I’m not going to have to stay here forever or something if I eat this, right? Because there’s stories about fairies and stuff and they always say never eat the food.”

“Would you like to stay here, little mortal?” Loki asked, a gleam in his eyes that you couldn’t identify. 

“I don’t know,” you said honestly, tilting your head to the side as you stared into his eyes. “Maybe. With the right inducement.”

“Well, the food is not cursed,” Loki said after a charged moment. “You can eat without fear.”

The two of you ate slowly, talking about the plan and refining further details. When that conversation died away, it was replaced by small talk and learning a little about Asgard. It was a pleasant meal with delicious food and fascinating company. Though the food might not have kept you here, you were finding you might not have minded if it did.

~*~*~*~

Over the next several days, you and Loki repeated your appearing and vanishing act. It was fun, sneaking around the hallways and seeing these gods and goddesses go through their everyday lives. Each time Odin saw you, his expression was a combination of longing, curiosity, and rage. You weren’t sure if Loki was winning this prank war but you were definitely sure that it was annoying Odin to no end.

On the third day, Loki presented you with a thick silver bracelet like his. Though where his had been carved with snakes with little red jewels for eyes, this bracelet was smooth. Curiously smooth, as you ran a finger over the band. It was smooth and glossy, far more so than any metal bracelet you had ever seen before. You could see a dim reflection of your face in it.

“This is for you,” Loki said as he presented it with a flourish. “I have put the spell for your appearing and vanishing into this bracelet so it is not a strain on my reserves. The spells are already keyed to Odin so that you need do nothing but wear the bracelet.”

“Thank you,” you said, slipping it onto you wrist. “Does this mean I can walk around a little more and none of the others will see me?”

“Yes,” Loki noded, looking pleased that you’d caught on. “You will be invisible to all but me until Odin comes into your proximity. Then you will appear for a count of seconds before becoming invisible again. Though, I caution you, should Odin try to grab you and you are within reach, he will be able to touch you. Take care, little mortal.”

So you expanded your explorations of the building, poking into rooms. There were dining halls and meeting halls and bedrooms and sitting rooms. There were music halls and training rooms and treasure rooms heaped with gleaming gems and precious metals. And everywhere you went, there were gods and goddesses. Your knowledge of Norse mythology was greatly expanded or modified watching everyone here. You saw a few that you knew by name, including Thor and Frigga and Freya, and quite a few you didn’t.

And you saw Loki. It seemed like everywhere you went, you found him. Whether he was conversing with his fellow gods and goddesses, sitting in a dining hall, listening to music in a music hall, or practicing with his magic and weapons, you found him. Your eyes would meet and he would smile at you. It was a smile that made your heart beat faster and the squirming in your belly return.

A few times, you saw Odin. Most were steered by Loki, him placing you in a hallway or room with a hand on your shoulder. A few were accidental, simply running into him in a room. Once, it was in the dining hall you saw Loki in. You appeared right in the middle of the hall as Odin walked near you, causing gasps from a few diners who noticed you. Odin, of course, noticed you right away. This time, he reached for you. It took a sidestep and the invisibility spell kicking in before you made it out of range. As soon as you disappeared, Loki called Odin’s name and distracted him long enough for you to leave the hall.

So your days went. Your nights were spent in the room Loki had given you. Most often, in conversation. You found him an engaging conversationalist, skipping from topic to topic like a stone over a clear pond. He was able to keep up with your thoughts and topic changes and you were able to keep the sense of his. Some of what he said, you didn’t quite understand but that didn’t dim your enjoyment of hearing it. 

Then there were the touches. Almost accidental but happening with too large a frequency to be. A brush of fingers when he handed you a drink, his hand on your shoulder guiding you when you knew he could see through your invisibility, the touch of his hand on yours when he bade you goodnight. Since the second night you’d slept here, he’d taken your hand in his and squeezed your fingers as he said goodnight.

Today, you were wandering through one of the music halls. There was a small group on the raised dais at one end of the room. Two women and one man. The man was playing a lute and the two women were playing harps. Soft, contemplative music filled the room. It was beautiful and somehow accompanied the quiet conversations. There were three clutches of gods and goddesses, each with a different conversational topic. You were mostly ignoring them, listening to the music, when Loki’s name caught your eye. You turned, studying the group closest to you. Four women who appeared to be related to go by the resemblance in their faces. Two were older, one was middle-aged, and one appeared to be in her mid-twenties.

“What has been going on with Loki, these last days?” the youngest one asked, looking aggrieved. “He has been so focused on something. He has not pulled any of his usual pranks.”

“I have no idea but it is interesting, is it not?” the middle-aged woman said, chuckling a little. “It is not often our trickster is so occupied but when he is, it certainly leads to interesting times for Asgard.”

“Maybe it has something to do with those rumors?” one of the older women said. She looked at her companion, their fingers comfortably twined together. “About the young woman Odin is looking for?”

“Perhaps,” the other woman said. She looked thoughtful. “It has been quiet without Loki’s pranks. Maybe he’s working on a prank for a specific person. I would not be surprised were that person Odin.”

“Well, I would rather he were not so fixated,” the young woman said, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. “I have not been able to corner him for a conversation for days.”

“And you may not,” the first older woman said. The thoughtful expression was mirrored in her eyes as she looked at her companion. “Take my advice, my dear. Your battle for Loki is a losing one. Move on to another conquest. I feel something else may have taken his attentions.”

As she spoke the last sentence, you felt a frisson travel down your back. There was someone behind you. You turned slowly, not wanting to make a sound to draw attention to yourself. And there stood Loki, staring at you as he listened to the conversation. Neither of you said anything but when he held out his hand to you, you took it without hesitation.

You both walked in silence back to your room. Once there, Loki handed you through the door then shut it behind himself. You took the bracelet off, the magic dropping away from you as you did. You put it on the little table between the two chairs and turned to Loki. He hadn’t moved from the door but his eyes were following your every movement.

“Did you overhear anything interesting?” he asked, that strange gleam back in his eyes.

“Possibly,” you acknowledged as your heart started to beat faster. “Not so much if it’s not true, though.”

“What do you think you overheard, little mortal?”

“You’re fixated on me. You haven’t been there for your fellow Asgardians.”

“True,” he agreed with an incline of his head. “What do you think it means?”

“I think...,” you licked your lips and moved to stand in front of him. You looked up into his eyes and took a deep breath. “I think it means you want me.”

“Is that so, little mortal?” Loki asked, though the sneer you might have expected if you were wrong was absent. “Why is that?”

“The touches, the attention, the flirting,” you replied. “I haven’t missed it. And if you want me, then it means I can want you. I can want you without fearing rejection.”

“Do you want me?” Loki asked, his voice dropping to a sibilant whisper. He leaned forward slightly, all seriousness rather than playfulness. “Would you choose a god for your bed, little mortal? Would you choose a god for your heart?”

“Yes,” you replied without hesitation. “Yes I would.”

At those words, Loki exhaled on an ahhh. It sounded pleased and you don’t hesitate to take his hand when he held it out to you. He drew you close, one arm around your shoulders while he wrapped your arm around his waist. You can feel his heart thudding in his chest, the pace matching yours. He leaned down so that his lips are barest fractions from yours. His breath feathered over your lips and you shiver in anticipation.

“This is your last chance,” Loki whispered to you. “For when I claim you, you will remain mine. I ask you once more. Will you choose a god, little mortal?”

“Yes,” you whispered back, feeling the word reverberate down to the core of you. “I choose a god. I choose you. I want you to kiss me. Please.”

When Loki closed the distance between you, your eyes slipped closed. The kiss is light but it is nowhere near chaste. There’s a restrained hunger there that has shivers running up and down your spine. You leaned into him, taking the kiss a little deeper. You’re only allowed so far, though, Loki controlling the kiss as his hand stroked your shoulders. Then, breaking the kiss, he smiled at you.

“I am pleased you chose me, little mortal,” he said, the nickname turning into an endearment in a heartbeat. “Let me show you how pleased.”

Walking you backwards, Loki tipped you into the bed. He followed you down, carefully ranging his weight over your body. He kissed you again, nipping at your bottom lip while one hand stroked down your body. You shivered, arching your back into his touch. He chuckles, fingers slipping under the hem of your shirt to splay over flushed, bare skin.

You aren’t hesitant to touch back. Your hand stroked over his back and down his bare arm. Then, it slid across his chest and pressed against his sternum for a few moments. His heartbeat is still thudding as quickly as yours and it brought a smile to your lips to know it. You lean up, capturing his lips in a searing kiss. This time it’s you who licked over his lips and teased the seam of his mouth. You both breathe out a sigh as his hand stroked up your belly. Then all you can taste is him as he hungrily kissed you.

Time stretched out into frozen moments as you kiss. You learned the taste and feel of his mouth, finding out what makes him moan and what makes his heart beat faster. The whole time, his hand worked busily over your skin. Before long, he’d pushed your shirt up to your shoulders, baring your torso for his pleasure. Only after his hand had explored your skin fully does he break off the hungry kisses.

Before you can feel disappointed in that, his mouth moved down your neck in little nipping bites. You’re sure that he was leaving marks, claiming you as his. And that is something you’re perfectly all right with. Continuing down, he laved his tongue over the point of your collarbone then nudged up to the center of your throat. Nipping again, he rumbled appreciatively as your hips bucked up against his. When your body settled, he ran a hand down your side and over your hip. It settled over the core of you, rubbing with enough pressure to spark sensation but not more.

“Please,” you begged, arching into his hand. Your hands worked at the clasps on his vest until they open and his chest is bared. Immediately, you run your fingers over bared skin. “More, please.”

“As you wish,” Loki replied, nipping your collarbone. “Quick then, for both of us.”

He’s as good as his word. Loki trailed his hand up you lower belly, stopping at the waistband of your pants. As you shove the vest over his shoulders, he undid your pants. Impatiently, they’re pulled down and tossed over the side of the bed. Then, with your enthusiastic help, Loki leaned back and shrugged out of the vest. It followed your pants. Then, Loki’s hand found your core again, stroking you into a frenzy. You screamed his name, grabbing onto his shoulders to keep yourself from flying apart.

You do anyways, the orgasm rolling through your body from his clever fingers. You rode it out, your eyes on his as if he was the last thing you would ever see. Your fingers gripped his shoulders tight, the nails dug in so much that you’re afraid you’re going to break his skin. There will definitely be marks when this is over. On a final moan, you dropped back to the bed, hands dropping next to you. Your chest heaved with your panting breaths, your mouth wide open as you tried to get enough air.

“My turn, little mortal,” Loki whispered to you. “Hold onto me.”

You grabbed his shoulders again, screaming his name as he drove into you. The feeling is overwhelming, pleasure filling every inch of your body. You wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him in deeper. Then he started to move, long strokes that pull him nearly out before he slammed back in. You caught the rhythm quickly, pumping your hips in time with him. As you move together, he buried his face in your neck. Teeth latch onto your pulse point, pulling another scream from your throat. 

“Yes, yes, more,” you managed to pant. Your fingers roamed wildly over his back, nails digging in at particularly strong thrust. “Loki, oh my Loki.”

As those words leave your mouth, Loki groaned against your neck. His hips pumped faster, snapping forward and back as if he couldn’t get enough of your body. Another sharp tingle of teeth erupted from your neck as he bit just above the first bite. This time, your eyes white out on the pleasure and you tangled your hands in his hair. Tugging his head over to the other side of your neck, you wordlessly directed him to nip at another spot. He does, leaving more marks that you know you’ll enjoy seeing later.

Your hearts thudded against each other as your hips meet on every stroke. The room is filled with the sounds of moans, whispered pleas and names, and the sound of flesh on flesh. His body goes stiff over you as his hips pumped faster. You urged him on, forcing your tiring body to meet him stroke for stroke. You aren’t regretting it, not the slightest bit, as another orgasm built in your body. At that moment he lifted his head and caught your eyes.

“Together, my little mortal,” he panted. “Now.”

You moaned at the word, your orgasm rolling through your body again. He screamed as he slammed home inside you one last time. Then he orgasmed, body shuddering as you held each other. You both pant as you ride your orgasms, hips making little stroking motions to wring every drop of pleasure from each other. When you both caught your breath again, Loki pressed a gentle kiss to your lips, still seated firmly inside you.

“And now you are mine,” he murmured. Pleasure and satisfaction filled his voice. “Mine and mine alone.”

“You’re mine too,” you replied. You carded your fingers through his hair then framed his face with your hands. “Goes both ways.”

“Indeed it does,” Loki laughed and shifted you both enough so that he could lie on the bed next to you. Somehow, he still remained seated inside you. “Should you agree, I would like to stay like this a while. I enjoy the feeling.”

“I’m not complaining,” you replied sleepily. You yawned and wrapped your arms around him. “Let’s go to sleep for a little while, my Loki.”

He smiled at you and tucked your head into his shoulder. You feel warm and blissful, body wonderfully used. You fell asleep at the same time he did, sharing breath with your arms wrapped around each other. And when you both woke, a few hours later, Loki fully hard inside you, it seemed like the perfect idea to love again.

~*~*~*~

The next week or so followed the same formula: trick Odin, explore more of the building, and spend time with Loki. The place was huge so you hadn’t even considered exploring the rest of the city. Besides, with all the gods and goddesses coming and going, there was always something fascinating to watch.

You were happier here than you’d thought you could be. Everything seemed to be going quite well. Then you made a mistake. It was simple and stupid, one that you’d avoided so many times before this. But you weren’t perfect and you were helping a trickster god prank another god. You were only human.

It happened in the music hall. It was a different one than where you’d overheard the women talking about Loki. Currently, it was empty though several rows of chairs were set up before the dais in preparations for a concert later tonight. There would be several players, singly and in groups. When Loki had told you about it the day before yesterday, you were excited to see it.

You were sitting in the back row, dreamily staring over the rows at the dais and imagining what kind of music you might hear. You didn’t hear the soft footsteps behind you nor the soft rustling of feathers that might have been the wind. Nor did you notice how your invisibility disappeared. The first thing that told you something was wrong was the heavy hand that landed on your shoulder. It wasn’t Loki’s; you knew his touch intimately now. With dread in your heart, you turned in your chair to see Odin behind you.

“So, you are real then,” he said. He nodded to himself. “I see now. Your bracelet. Give it to me.”

Your hand covered your bracelet in automatic protection as you cursed mentally. Of course, Odin had to run into you when you weren’t paying attention. Of course, you had to get caught. With a sigh, you pulled the bracelet off your wrist and held it out reluctantly. Odin took it from you and studied it, hand still on your shoulder.

“Loki’s work, if I am not mistaken,” Odin said and looked at you. You nodded in confirmation. “I see. Let us go find him then.”

With his hand still on your shoulder, the bracelet clutched in the other, Odin marched you through the halls. Whispering followed you and a few fingers pointed your way. Odin ignored everyone and you did your best to ignore them too. Each step, you cursed yourself. What were you going to do now? What was going to happen between you and Loki? What was Odin going to do to you for your part in this prank war?

Odin found Loki in the bedroom, sitting in the chair by the fire and enjoying a late breakfast. As soon as Odin slammed the door open, Loki jumped to his feet. His eyes flicked from Odin’s face to yours and you mouthed _I’m sorry_ at him. Loki nodded fractionally to you, his eyes warming as they met yours, before he looked at Odin again.

“So, Loki, you thought to tease me with a power I desired to have,” Odin boomed, pushing you ahead of him. “You brought a mortal here to do it.”

“Yes, I did,” Loki said, his familiar smirk playing over his lips. He waved at you and included the rest of the building in the gesture. “For days now, we have been teasing and testing you with appearances and disappearances. You had no idea who or what this apparition might be, did you?”

“I admit, I did not, not until today,” Odin inclined his head to Loki in a regal gesture. “This match goes to you. Congratulations.”

“Why thank you,” Loki said grandly, bowing floridly. “What will you do now, with the game at an end?”

“Do you need this mortal anymore? Time to return home,” Odin replied.

“Ah but wait,” Loki said, a hint of panic coming into his eyes. You weren’t sure if Odin could see it or not but you did. “A power you desire, was it not? How would you like that power, Odin?”

One of the ravens cawed and you jumped at the harsh sound. Odin didn’t respond right away. Instead, he stood tapping his foot and staring at Loki with narrowed eyes. You barely breathed, not wanting to draw attention to yourself right now. Then he nodded.

“I would like that power,” Odin agreed. “What would it cost me?”

“Why, Odin, you have already paid the price!” Loki exclaimed, laughing wildly. “The enjoyment of tricking you was your payment. But I must take the mortal from you. I must draw the power so it can be yours.”

With a not-so-gentle shove, Odin pushed you towards Loki. You looked back over your shoulder to see Odin toying with the bracelet. Your heart sank as you wondered if you would ever get it back. Then your attention was drawn to Loki as he squeezed your shoulder.

“I came up with something, my little mortal,” he murmured to you. “A way to copy your power without taking it from you. Maybe a little weaker than had I just taken it from you but that is not what I want to do. Will you allow me? Do you trust me?”

“Yes and yes,” you whispered back, reaching up to squeeze his hand. “Go ahead.”

Absorbed in each other’s eyes, neither you nor Loki say the sharp glance Odin sent your way. Instead, Loki drew you towards the fireplace where a jewel rested on the mantel. It was clear, about as big as your fist, and as smooth as an egg. It caught the glow of the firelight and shone with it. Loki picked it up, weighed it in his hand for a second, then pressed it against your chest just above your heart.

“Breathe and trust, my little mortal,” he said. Then he murmured words in that unknown language.

Fire burned in your chest and the jewel glowed with more than just firelight. It shone, white light shooting out between Loki’s fingers. It hurt your eyes, so you pressed them closed and tried to endure the fire. You managed little breaths, remembering his admonition to do just that. After far too long a time, but was only probably a few seconds, it was done. When you opened your eyes, Loki was watching you with a look of such tenderness it took your breath away.

“It’s done,” he told you.

“That’s good,” you managed to reply. “I’m glad it is, my Loki.”

“Yes, yes, lovely byplay,” Odin’s rumbling voice interrupted. “But now I would like my prize.”

Loki flipped the jewel to Odin in an easy underhanded toss. It flew through the air in a perfect arc to land in Odin’s waiting hand. He clutched it and stared deep into the smooth stone. Whatever he saw there must have pleased him because he nodded and sighed. Then he tucked the stone into a pocket.

“Well, that is settled,” he said then his eyes fell on you. “Loki, you have claimed this mortal, have you not?”

“Yes,” he said simply and waited.

“And you were claimed in turn,” Odin mused, eyes flicking from your face to Loki’s and back. “Very well. You are welcome here, mortal, for as long as you care to stay. But have a care not to be drawn into more dangerous schemes.”

“Thank you,” you managed to stammer out before Odin tossed Loki the bracelet he’d taken.

“That went better than I thought,” Loki commented after Odin left. “I thought for sure he would want you gone.”

“Do you want me gone?” you asked, reaching out to press the tips of your fingers to the bracelet Loki held.

“Indeed not, my little mortal,” Loki laughed then murmured a few words. The bracelet glowed for a moment then the glow faded. “And now, this bracelet is a bracelet. Will you wear it?”

“Gladly,” you replied with a smile.

Loki slipped the bracelet on your wrist then drew you to the bed. He pressed a kiss to your lips before folding you into a hug. You hugged him back, wrapping your arms around him as tightly as you could. You were expecting it when he tipped you back onto the bed, laughter bubbling from your lips. Oh yes, this was the happiest you’d been in a long time. And Loki proceeded to make you even happier.


End file.
